Introduction If someone handed you a bag full of random receipts, old orders and expired promo flyers, could you grow your business from it? Not all data is good data. Focus on what feeds your pocket. Pen and paper ready? Question 1: Which of my products/services makes me the most money, really? Why this matters: You think it is that premium product because it looks fancy and costs more but your bread and butter could be the low cost item you sell in bulk. Data helps your d

This is a Step-by-Step Roadmap To Business Data Analysis

Introduction Before we talk about bigger customers, funding, contracts or expansion, there is something less glamorous to discuss: paperwork. Yes, paperwork. The part of entrepreneurship nobody puts on the motivational poster. Building a successful business is not just about having a brilliant idea, working hard or mastering social media. It is also about being legitimate, organised and legally visible. You cannot sustainably scale a business whose legal and organisational fo

Introduction Would you drive across Africa without a map, GPS or even asking for directions? Data is your business GPS. For decades, many African entrepreneurs have built thriving businesses powered by intuition and a pinch of good fortune. They have done well without spreadsheets, dashboards or analytics, which is a testament to their skill, resilience and business acumen. But here is the reality; the African business landscape is becoming more competitive, digitalised and u

Practical actions that you can take to weave import–export mastery into your business DNA Introduction Many businesses have grown spectacularly without ever touching a customs form, much less shipping a container. That is commendable because you have mastered local supply chains, charmed your domestic market and possibly reached the enviable stage where you are ready for the global stage. However, if your business model does not yet have an import–export strategy, you are not

Introduction Entrepreneurs are remarkably good at learning on the job. We start the business, become the salesperson, bookkeeper, marketing department, HR manager, procurement officer and occasionally the person trying to remember the SARS password at 11:47pm. But there comes a point when 'I’ll figure it out' stops being a strategy. Government departments, SEDFA, incubators, banks, industry bodies and enterprise-development programmes can provide valuable support. Use them. T